Plays The Best Of Lerner & Loewe - Chet Baker (1LP Vinyl) [CRAFT Recordings]

Plays The Best Of Lerner & Loewe by Chet Baker.

There is a particular kind of alchemy that happens when a trumpet player as lyrical as Chet Baker turns his attention to the American songbook, and here he does it with the catalog of Lerner and Loewe. Baker treats these melodies with the tenderness they deserve, and across eight sides of song he finds the aching center of tunes drawn from My Fair Lady, Gigi, Brigadoon, and Paint Your Wagon. From the opening confession of "I've Grown Accustomed To Your Face" through the closing sway of "Show Me," this is Baker as an interpreter, letting the songs breathe.

What elevates this record beyond a simple showcase is the company Baker keeps. Zoot Sims moves fluidly between tenor and alto saxophone across most of the program, giving the horn lines a warmth and swing that complements Baker's cooler tone. Pepper Adams anchors the low end with his baritone saxophone on nearly every track, and Herbie Mann adds his distinctive flute to numbers like "I Could Have Danced All Night" and "The Heather On The Hill," even stepping over to tenor saxophone for "Almost Like Being In Love."

The rhythm section deserves its own spotlight. Piano duties are split between two very different hands: Bill Evans brings his unmistakable harmonic sensibility to "I've Grown Accustomed To Your Face," "Thank Heaven For Little Girls," "I Talk To The Trees," and "Show Me," while Bob Corwin handles the remaining tracks with a graceful touch. Earl May holds the bottom on bass and Clifford Jarvis keeps time on drums, together forming a supple foundation that never crowds the soloists.

This is a Riverside production shepherded by the label's own Orrin Keepnews, who also penned the liner notes. Keepnews had an ear for pairing musicians in ways that let their individual voices shine while serving the song, and that instinct is everywhere on these performances. The result is a session that feels intimate and unhurried, a group of first rate players finding common ground in the melodic richness of Broadway and film.

The sound here comes from careful modern stewardship. Kevin Gray remastered and cut the lacquer at Cohearent Audio, working directly from the original analog masters, with earlier mastering credited to Jack Matthews and engineering by Roy Friedman. This remaster was originally issued as part of the box set Chet Baker: The Legendary Riverside Albums, and it carries that pedigree of fidelity and respect for the source.

Rounding out the package is the visual presentation, with cover design by Harris Lewine, Ken Braren, and Paul Bacon, plus back liner photography by Lawrence N. Shustak. A quietly beautiful entry in the Baker discography, and one that rewards repeated listening.

Pressing Details:
Track Listing:
A1. I've Grown Accustomed To Your Face
A2. I Could Have Danced All Night
A3. The Heather On The Hill
A4. On The Street Where You Live
B1. Almost Like Being In Love
B2. Thank Heaven For Little Girls
B3. I Talk To The Trees
B4. Show Me

Credits:
Pepper Adams - Baritone Saxophone (A1 to A4, B1, B3, B4)
Earl May - Bass
Harris Lewine - Design [Cover]
Ken Braren - Design [Cover]
Paul Bacon (2) - Design [Cover]
Clifford Jarvis - Drums
Roy Friedman - Engineer
Herbie Mann - Flute (A1 to A4, B3)
Kevin Gray - Lacquer Cut By, Remastered By
Jack Matthews - Mastered By
Lawrence N. Shustak - Photography By [Back Liner]
Bill Evans - Piano (A1, B2 to B4)
Bob Corwin - Piano (A2 to A4, B1)
Orrin Keepnews - Producer, Liner Notes
Herbie Mann - Tenor Saxophone (B1)
Zoot Sims - Tenor Saxophone, Alto Saxophone (A1 to A4, B1 to B3)
Chet Baker - Trumpet
Lerner & Loewe - Written-By

Notes:
*This remaster was originally issued as part of the box set, Chet Baker - The Legendary Riverside Albums.
*Remastering by Kevin Gray @ Cohearent Audio. Cut from the original Analog masters.

Artist: Chet Baker

Format: 1LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: Riverside Records

Catalog Number: CR00360

Series: CRAFT Recordings

Release Year: 2021

Country: United States

Condition: Sealed (New)